engine and drivetrain Unleaded Vs. Leaded

[dj2002]

I thought you may appreciate this bulletin from BMW on the subject of Unleaded Vs Leaded.

In summary

Prior to 1984, the Euro version of the M10 engine did not have hardened valve seats. However, as the article indicates, once the car has 60,000 km, you no longer need the additive because the seats are saturated with the additive and more will do nothing. Polishing, still no worries. Mill or lathe the seats, need to add the additive again.

If the car was set up with a cat then you don't need it.

Read for yourselves. It is short and worth it.

So, while it is true that many of the cars in the US don't need lead, if you have an out of the crate Euro car, you do unless it has 60,000 km on it.

www.exx.se_techinfo_docs_si_13_01_98_298.pdf

[02Les]

Interesting.

A few Companies in the UK made serious coin redoing the heads on M10 Motors when the UK switched to unleaded.

I brought my '74 Touring (orig head) over in 2000 and have used (off/on) a lead substitute. AFAIK with no detrimental effects.

[02sahara]

Hey, just got a 02 some month ago and the previous owner used lead additive, as he said it would be necessary. Also some body shop invoice of the past tell that they used it.

 

Now I read this informative article posted above and am curious about if I can get rid of the additives / don't need to buy them anymore, or should just continue pouring them in?

 

It's a US-CA '76 car that has never been to the US – so still driving in Germany with fuel minimum of 95 octane.

Mileage is about 50k miles. And I am curious about if the US versions never required lead at all? (Then the repair shops in Germany wouldn't have been aware of that and treated it as euro 02.)

I will also check if valve seats have been replaced at some point.

 

So any save way to find out if to use it or not?

Edited April 28, 2022 by awesomade

[TobyB]

Above article is full of shit.

 

M10s always got hardened valve seats set into the aluminum block.

 

Unless the dipshits at the engine shop machined them out and stuck in some

hunks of cast iron.  Which they didn't, as buying new $4 seats is far easier and cheaper.

 

t

 

[Son of Marty]

Toby's correct.

[dlacey]

8 hours ago, awesomade said:

am curious about if I can get rid of the additives / don't need to buy them anymore

Additives not needed...spend your money on tyres, brakes / suspension and enjoy the car.

[tech71]

Dont know about Deutschland but tetraethyl lead is banned for use in auto fuel in the U.S. It was phased out of gasoline here starting in 1973.

I hope its banned in Deutschland as well. The shit is toxic toxic toxic.

All you can buy here is "lead substitute" no idea what's in it but you dont need it anyway.

The only source of leaded fuel available here that I know of is Aviation gas 100LL, currently costs about $6 a gallon.

I used to have access to 100LL and did run it in Franzi and a 115 HP Mercury outboard...until I grew a conscience?

Edited April 28, 2022 by tech71

[ray_]

8 hours ago, Son of Marty said:

Toby's correct.

Well, it happens.

 

[Tommy]

14 hours ago, tech71 said:

Dont know about Deutschland but tetraethyl lead is banned for use in auto fuel in the U.S. It was phased out of gasoline here starting in 1973.

I hope its banned in Deutschland as well.

It was forbidden in the 90's in Europe. Finland -94. I think it's around the same time that the phase out was finished in U.S.

 

I had my drivers license in -93. I remember buying few bottles of additive in the mid -90's when there wasn't that good information available yet. Then the information spread that BMW's don't need it, since that saved that money.

 

Loosely related to the toxicity... In early 1900's the drinking water pipes were still made of lead. Now 2020 it can't be used even as balancing weight for tires. Still only quite few of our grandparents died because of lead poisoning. Sure it ain't healthy but I think we are shooting a bit over. And no one can guess what is killing us next.

 

[TobyB]

Quote

And no one can guess what is killing us next.

I guess it's going to be the internet.

 

Just like Rome's lead pipes.

 

t

 

[John76]

5 hours ago, Tommy said:

quite few of our grandparents died because of lead poisoning.

Yeah, and they took the lead out of bullets. Why?  Because it could kill you.